Percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS), a nonsurgical treatment that delivers mild electrical impulses to a nerve in the ankle, significantly reduced bladder activity and improved sexual function for women with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), according to a clinical trial. While PTNS is designed to modulate neural mechanisms involved in…
relationships
As a native Floridian, I’ve been through my fair share of hurricanes. Because they’re so familiar, I’m probably a bit too indifferent to them. But in many ways, hurricanes parallel my life with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS); each involves preparation, weathering of the storm, and adjusting to the aftermath.
After I was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) in 2016, I thought I’d never find a partner who understood the complexities and nuances of my condition. For years, I wondered, “If I can barely comprehend the knowns and unknowns of living with MS, how could anyone else?” Oh…
My wedding band is made of tungsten and rose gold. It’s heavier than most, but I’ve had it on for 15 years today, so most of the time I don’t notice that it’s there. Every once in a while, however, I glance down at my left hand and am almost…
I recall one of my college classes from years ago, when the professor covered a subject that was rather difficult to understand. At the end, she paused, looked around the room, and asked if we all understood. We must have had blank expressions on our faces or our heads tilted…
Because of the emotional and mental toll that my relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis diagnosis had on me, I wanted a cat to help me cope with and navigate life with the condition. I knew having a pet would improve my mood and give me a reason to get out of…
Before I was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis at age 17, I was just a young adolescent eager to attend college but uncertain about my path. However, after my diagnosis, which happened during my senior year of high school, just a couple months before college applications were due,…
I almost didn’t write this column. It might be a sensitive topic, but I’m not afraid of offending anyone. Even if I do, it’s not intentional. It’s not that I don’t understand the subject, either. I think I do, but I’ve been having a lot of trouble putting it into…
Let me paint you a picture of a scenario that has stuck with me for years. It was my sophomore year at the University of Texas at Austin and I was having lunch with my best friend at the time. We were discussing my journey with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis…
My mom always wished for a son and a daughter. Ten years after I was born, her dream became a reality with the arrival of my baby brother, Michael. Because I was the only child for so long, I had never considered becoming a big sister, nor did I understand…
If I haven’t warned you that bits of my past in the military would sometimes leak into my present as a Multiple Sclerosis News Today columnist, consider yourself warned. I was in the U.S. Army for almost 22 years, so it’s bound to happen occasionally. If I’d become an…
Recognizing and valuing authenticity is an aspect of life I began to grasp only a few years ago. During the peak of quarantine restrictions due to COVID-19, I was forced to move back home to San Antonio from my on-campus dormitory at the University of Texas at Austin. Like many…
Erectile dysfunction is more likely to occur among men with multiple sclerosis (MS) whose disease is more severe, according to a study, which noted that the ability to contract the cremaster muscle, which controls the position of the testicles, was linked with a decreased likelihood of erectile dysfunction in…
My graduation ceremony at the University of Texas at Austin had just ended, and there were swarms of people everywhere I looked. I was sweating profusely in the summer heat and overstimulated by the large crowds. Thankfully, my mom called to tell me where my family was waiting for me.
In case there was any confusion, “Chairborne” is not an advice column. Well, not the kind of advice that comes from raw wisdom, anyway. Most of my lessons are closer to cautionary tales than anything else. The only reason I can suggest avoiding any mistake is because I’ve already…
It took years for Gregory Sonn to receive an MS diagnosis. He first noticed symptoms while traveling in his 20s. (Photo courtesy of Gregory Sonn) Day 31 of 31 This is Gregory Sonn’s story: My name is Gregory and I’m currently living in the unincorporated area of Roseville, near…
Day 29 of 31 This is Mike and Jenn Powell’s story, as a conversation: Jenn and Mike Powell stand with their dog, Skye, in Laguna Beach in November 2023. (Photo by Vicki Shequin) Jenn Powell: My husband, Mike, hates multiple sclerosis (MS). There was a…
Damian Washington is pictured shooting a music video. (Photos courtesy of Damian Washington) Day 20 of 31 This is Damian Washington’s story: Having multiple sclerosis (MS) is a terrible way to meet wonderful people. The type of camaraderie that some MSers share leads to some of the most…
Amanda Olivier, left, and Sagirah Ahmed Norris pose with their medals at the Athletes with Disabilities Half Marathon in The Woodlands, Texas, in 2023. (Photos courtesy of Amanda Olivier and Sagirah Ahmed Norris) Day 8 of 31 This is Amanda Olivier and Sagirah Ahmed Norris’ story: AO: I awoke…
Multiple sclerosis (MS), a neurodegenerative disease thought to affect more than 1.8 million people globally, can impact many aspects of daily life. So for Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month, observed each March, this year’s focus is on the MS experience and the importance of social connections. Multiple Sclerosis…
Just three years before I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), I was on what was to be my last overseas tour with the U.S. Army. One day while dozing during a lull in a mission, I was awakened by the sensation of someone standing over me.
Valentine’s Day is less than a week away. If you haven’t gotten anything for your significant other yet, let me add to the holiday’s commercialization by reminding you that time is running out. It really wasn’t my foremost intention to spur anyone into panicked action. This column isn’t even about…
Summer planning has started for my family, which means trying to arrange trips and time together. Before I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), we could simply book an excursion that looked enjoyable. But now, thanks to my mobility issues, planning is slightly tricker. In the…
Pelvic floor exercises, which strengthen the muscles around the bladder, bowel, and vagina, can help with sexual health and lessen sex-related distress in women with multiple sclerosis (MS), a small study found. Women reported increased sexual desire, arousal, and better overall satisfaction after engaging in a 12-week training program,…
In the U.S., pregnant people with multiple sclerosis (MS) who are Black or Hispanic tend to have more severe disability than their white counterparts, along with fewer socioeconomic resources, a new study indicates. “What we are seeing is that underrepresented women with MS start their…
My name is Dave and I’m Beth Shorthouse-Ullah’s husband. We had spoken about the possibility of writing a column that looks at the experiences of partners of people who have multiple sclerosis (MS). But instead of sharing a thought-provoking piece from another perspective, today I sadly announce that Beth…
I’m not very good at this sort of thing, but depending on whether or not you count today and the 25th itself, we’ve got about four days left until Christmas. If I still needed to get my wife anything, I’d be entering shopping panic mode about now. Fortunately, I don’t…
When I was in the military, I wore several different hats. A U.S. Special Forces team has only 12 soldiers, so we couldn’t afford for anyone to know just one trick, no matter how good that trick might be. In addition to each person’s primary job, everyone had to know…
This is my 823rd column for Multiple Sclerosis News Today. It is also my last. Over the past seven and a half years, I’ve written about multiple sclerosis (MS) fatigue and frustration, about treatments and travel, about neurologists (good and bad), stress,…
It wasn’t a good morning. I was dragging my cement-pillar legs around the kitchen and grew frustrated as I lurched from the refrigerator to the counter to feed the cat and the dog. I’d propped my two canes against the counter, but they’d slid to the floor — not once,…